This time the victim was a three-year-old
Photo: AP
Who fired lethal Qassam?
Palestinian Authority launches probe to find group responsible for firing rocket that killed three-year-old child and injuring 10 others; residents call on PA to take steps to stop fire
GAZA - The Palestinian Authority is investigating who was responsible for launching the Qassam rocket Tuesday evening that hit a house in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, killing a three-year-old Palestinian child.
The rocket was intended to hit one of the several Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip or the southern town of Sderot.
Following the incident, Islamic Jihad and Hamas promptly denied any connection to the incident.
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The latest victim - three-year-old child (Photo: AP)
In addition, 10 youths were injured in the attack, including the four children of former Palestinian minister Hisham Abd al-Razak.
The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, claimed it has no connection to launching of the rocket, in a special public announcement.
According to the group, members received orders to stop all rocket and mortar fire three days ago, “in order to provide an opportunity for a quiet Zionist withdrawal from beloved Gaza.”
The group also said “the organization’s activists have been commanded to fire at Israeli targets only in incidences where Israel would violate the calm.”
PA condemns incident
Hamas also denied all connection to the incident. The group’s military wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades said they too were not responsible.
Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs and northern Gaza resident Sufian Abu Zaida called for all Palestinian factions to stop the "useless" rocket fire.
Abu Zaida has also called for the PA and security forces to do all it can to stop the shooting.
In addition, the Palestinian Internal Ministry and National Security harshly condemned the incident.
In a statement released Wednesday, the ministry said, “We have warned countless times that continuous firing is not beneficial and will cause harm to the Palestinian nation.”
The statement called for all factions to immediately stop all fire, otherwise harsh steps would be taken against those who continue to violate the law.
Armed clashes reported
The family of three-year-old victim Yasser Adnan Ashkar is still refusing to comment. Ashkar’s cousin, Fahed al Ashkar, said people are still furious and even fired a shot into the air to protest the continual shooting where Palestinians have been injured.
“We refuse to be the experiments of the Palestinian organizations,” he said. “On one occasion it hits Israelis and on other occasions it hits us, we are demanding to stop this and are demanding from the Authority to take all means to protect us and to stop the fire.”
Over the past few days a group of northern Gaza residents have organized in protest and in an official letter to the PA demanded it take action to stop the rocket launching.
Palestinian sources have also reported clashes in northern Gaza and other areas - mainly in Khan Younis and Rafah - between armed residents that have attempted to carry out shooting attacks over Jewish settlements from close proximity to their homes.
